


Escape the Night – The History of Meryn – Part One

by Dede42



Series: Escape the Night - The Fugitive AU Timeline [1]
Category: Original Work, Our ETerNity Together (Web Series AU)
Genre: Centaurs, Chaos, Creation, Dark Elves, Dwarves, Elves, Eternal sleep, Faeries - Freeform, Fruit, Hypnosis, Imps - Freeform, Sleep, Spices, Trees, Vegetables, Violence, dimension, herbs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:35:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dede42/pseuds/Dede42
Summary: When Delta Hatcher discovered that she was the princess of a kingdom, she found a book about its' history. What is the history of the Kingdom of Meryn? What can she discover?
Series: Escape the Night - The Fugitive AU Timeline [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980727
Comments: 16
Kudos: 2





	1. PROLOGUE: MULTIVERSE

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ETNMystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ETNMystic/gifts), [NervousAliceCurious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervousAliceCurious/gifts), [SummerInAmsterdam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerInAmsterdam/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Our Eternity Together](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16768489) by [ETNMystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ETNMystic/pseuds/ETNMystic). 



> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Hey guys! So I've been taking part in a couple of causal RPs with my friends Mystic, Alice, Cyrille, and Bailey on Discord, and thanks to a plot twist, I, well my persona Delta, has discovered that she has ice powers and is the princess of a kingdom currently being ruled by her evil aunt, Isidora.
> 
> So, this got me thinking about what is the history of this kingdom? How did it came to exist? And so that is what this is: the start of the History of Meryn. Onward!

**PROLOGUE: MULTIVERSE**

*****

What is a multiverse?

What comes to mind when you hear that question about the multiverse?

Scientists will say that the multiverse itself is a hypothetical group of multiple universes, while others believe that the multiverse does exist.

The term multiverse has been used in many different types of works of fiction, including TV, movies, and particularly in comic books. In DC comics, they had the multiverse, and before the events of _Crisis of Infinite Earths_ , the comics had many parallel universes until they got narrowed down to a total of 52 universes. Even in Marvel comics, they have a multiverse going on that had, at one point, crossed over with the DC comics multiverse, and with other multiverses as well.

For _Star Trek_ , the first time the concept of a multiverse was brought up was during the episode _Mirror, Mirror_ , where James T. Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Chief Engineer Scott, and Lt. Uhura all accidentally traded places with their counterparts, and ended up in what would be dubbed the Mirror Universe. This was later brought back for a number of times during the _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ episodes _Crossover, Through the Looking Glass, Shattered Mirror, Resurrection,_ and _The Emperor’s New Cloak_.

The Mirror Universe is also in the two part _Star Trek: Enterprise_ episodes _In a Mirror, Darkly_ , where a starship, the _USS Defiant_ from the episode _The Tholian Web_ , ended up in that universe and was found. And during the first season of _Star Trek: Discovery_ , the Mirror Universe is brought back in the following episodes, _Into the Forest I Go, Despite Yourself, The Wolf Inside, Vaulting Ambition, What’s Past is Prologue, The War Without, The War Within,_ and _Will You Take My Hand?_

Multiverse has also been involved with _Doctor Who_ , the classic Third Doctor episode _Inferno_ , where the Doctor accidentally ended up on a parallel Earth and witness its’ destruction as he returned to our Earth to stop it from suffering the same fate, and in the 10thDoctor episodes _Rise of the Cybermen_ , where the Doctor and his companions Rose Tyler and Mickey Smith end up on a parallel Earth where Rose’s father is still alive, and found a plot to convert all humans into a new form of Cyberman.

_The Age of Steel_ , where the Doctor, Rose, and Mickey are still on the parallel Earth, where they are helped by Rose’s dad in stopping the Cyberman threat. _Army of Ghosts_ , where the Doctor and Rose encounter Torchwood for the first time, and see the Cybermen, plus three Daleks, rise to take over the world. _Doomsday_ , is where the Doctor comes up a way to stop both enemies…but at a cost. _Turn Left_ , where Donna Noble is tricked into creating a parallel timeline where the Doctor died. _The Stolen Earth_ , where the Doctor and Donna discover that Earth had been taken and the Doctor is reunited with Rose _,_ and _Journey’s End_ , the Doctor chooses to return Rose to the parallel Earth with her mom and dad.

There are probably other examples out there about the multiverse and it’s use in works of fiction but they’re for another time.

But think about it. What if Earth, the very planet that we all live on, had a twin in a different universe that ran parallel to our own, and what if it was possible to access those parallel worlds?

And what would we find if we _could_ travel to those parallel worlds?


	2. CHAPTER ONE: IN THE BEGINNING…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's now time for the first chapter for the History of Meryn. Onward!

**CHAPTER ONE: IN THE BEGINNING…**

*****

_In the beginning, there was darkness, complete and absolute darkness. No light, no life, just darkness and nothing else. Time didn’t exist either, so it’s impossible to determine how long the darkness existed…until there was something_ new _._

_A pinpoint of light appeared, it was small, and it just existed as a single light. But then it began to grow, and it split apart, creating more points of lights that became orbs, and the light from these orbs began to spread, forcing back the darkness until it was gone and only the bright light existed in its’ place._

_The light then shrank back into the orbs, allowing some of the darkness to return, and together, both the light and the dark began to create something new. Over time, the light and the dark created stars, worlds, solar systems, and galaxies, and on many of these worlds, life began forming, starting tiny and then eventually getting bigger._

_As life continued to spread across the newly created worlds, a threat entered the universe, one that was trying to wipe out all life and the light itself. This was the darkness that hadn’t joined with the light, and it was trying to take back what it considered to be its’ rightful place. It went from world to world, wiping out all life on the worlds, trying to bring back the darkness and the silence that once existed, and the light fought back._

_Both sides fought against each other, struggling to win, and the allies of the light, the former darkness, did what it could to help the light in the war._

_The evil darkness tried to take back the parts that had once been part of itself, but it failed repeatedly, and, eventually, the evil darkness was defeated and sealed away by the good darkness and the light. But it was clear that the evil darkness wouldn’t remain sealed away forever, so the good darkness and the light decided to make it harder for the evil to come back, and this lead to the creation of the multiverse._

_Each orb of light joined with a piece of the good darkness, creating a balance that would enable life to live on the worlds throughout the multiverse, and by doing this, it would also make it that much tougher for the evil darkness to escape and return in order to wipe out all life and light._

*****

The orb entered the empty space, where it began spreading its’ power throughout the space, creating worlds, and on one world, it took resident, giving itself a physical form.

It used its’ power to create new life, watching and, sometimes, interacting with the unique population of the world as it set up seven giant pillars that it placed seven giant crystals that were connected to the being, which would eventually be given the name of Meryn.

And so the realm was renamed the Land of Meryn, and there was peace and happiness there for a _very_ long time.

*****

The races that lived in the Land of Meryn, ranged from unique plants, to unique animals, and to unique humanoid beings that helped with the care of the other species. One of these races were known as the Elf-kind, and they were the first-born of Meryn.

The Elf-kind had a strong connection with nature and with Meryn, and they took it upon themselves to make sure that the balance remained intact.

The Elf-kind chief was Zeno Silkwood, his wife was Imra Clover, and they had many children, as did the leaders of the seven elf clans, and they all were responsible for the care and keeping the balance of both nature and the land, following the commands of Meryn.

*****

In time, visitors came to visit the Land of Meryn, forming friendships with the other realms, and because of this, it lead to forming trade agreements. Also because of this, the inhabitants of the land of Meryn would rise and come to the defense of their allies, and their neighbors would do the same on the rare occasions when threats threatened the peace of the land.

*****

Over time, the Elf-kind discovered that they could form bonds with certain animals, and these became their animal companions.

With the bond, they could telepathically talk with their animal companions, sense their emotions, and, when needed, see and hear through the eyes and ears of their animal companions if they were far away while patrolling the borders of the land.

*****

There were rare attacks on the borders on the Land of Meryn, but they were always repelled by the Elf-kind, the other races, and even by Meryn themselves.

Whenever a threat would approach that Meryn sensed would be too dangerous for the population of the land, it would be then that Meryn would activate the seven crystals, and encased the land in a protective magical shield that the threat would collide with – and become dust as a result.

Because of all of these precautions, it was _extremely_ rare for evil to enter the Land of Meryn, although there had been a few close calls: once an elf from another land crossed the border – only to be stopped when it became apparent that the elf was possessed by a demon, and the demon was then removed form the elf and destroyed.

The same thing happened when a pair of fairies entered the land – and were stopped for they were actually dark fairies that had been sent to cause harm to the seven crystals in an attempt to weaken the protection of the land.

It was believed that no evil could ever enter the Land of Meryn, and that the inhabitants would be safe forever.

But, as someone once said, nothing can truly last forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is how the Land of Meryn was created. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	3. CHAPTER TWO: RISE OF CHAOS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Time for more of the history of Meryn. Onward!

**CHAPTER TWO: RISE OF CHAOS**

*****

The time of peace in the Land of Meryn was known as the Golden Era by the inhabitants of the land, and during that time, the only season that truly existed in the land was that of summer. The other seasons didn’t exist, not that anyone in the land knew that there could be other seasons other then summer, and so both the peace and the summer were part of the Golden Era.

That was, until a new person entered the land, and little did anyone know, this person wasn’t who they claimed to be.

*****

The Elf-kind that were patrolling the border were the first to come across the new arrival.

They were surprised to find standing along the border was a young handsome man, wearing blue clothing, and he had with him a simple leather bag. He introduced himself to the Elf-kind as Rim, a trader who was traveling from land to land, and had heard stories about the Land of Meryn and the Goddess that protected the land.

This surprised the Elf-kind, for they had never heard of Meryn of being referred to as a Goddess, much less as a female, and so they took Rim to see Zeno to see what he had to say about the stranger and his claims.

*****

When Rim was brought before Zeno, he shared the same tale with the king of the Elf-kind, about how he heard tales concerning the Land of Meryn, and of their protector, the Goddess Meryn.

Zeno was surprised to hear their protector referred to as a female, having only known Meryn as a powerful being, and questioned Rim why he used those terms for the creator of the land.

Rim explained that where he was from, the creators of such lands were referred to as either God or Goddess, even the ones who were neutral on the gender front, and he’d been told that a Goddess protected the Land of Meryn, so it made sense to him for her to be female, having not been told otherwise.

This was a new concept for Zeno and his people, and so he decided to speak with Meryn to find out for himself whether or not that Meryn was both a Goddess and a female.

*****

Zeno traveled to the center of the land, where the seven crystals stood upon their pillars, and was where one could communicate with Meryn if it was needed. He knelt before the pillars and placed a small clear crystal on the ground, and he called up Meryn to come and see what he could learn from the creator of the land.

When Meryn appeared, they appeared as a crystal being that was neither male nor female, and they inquired why they had been summoned.

Zeno explained about the arrival of Rim, of how the creators of the lands were being referred to as Gods and/or Goddesses, and he wanted to know if Meryn was a Goddess and female.

Meryn knew of how some of their fellow beings taking on such titles, but it hadn’t felt like it needed to do that, but they were also curious about the person Rim, and asked that he be brought before them to see what else he knew.

Zeno agreed and had Rim sent for.

*****

When Rim arrived and stood before Meryn, he once again shared his tale about being a trader that traveled from land to land, about the stories he’d heard about the Land of Meryn and of its’ Goddess, the beautiful and fair Meryn, and how beautiful she was.

_`“You have a way with words, Rim,”`_ said Meryn, still in their crystal form. _`“And while it is true that my fellow beings have been choosing to take on such appearances and titles, but I do not see a need to do the same.”`_

“And why not?” Rim inquired, curious.

_`“Because words have power,”`_ Meryn answered. _`“And to use such titles, it can be possible for one to control another by doing so.”`_

Rim nodded. “That is true,” he agreed. “And even by having a name, that can give someone power over another, and you have a name, Goddess.”

It was then that Meryn realized that there was something offish about Rim, something that was familiar. _`“Who are you really?”`_ they demanded, sensing something was hidden within the young man. _`“You are not a moral. Reveal yourself!”`_

‘Rim’ suddenly smirked and opened his bag, which unleashed black smoke that engulfed him while Zeno was forced out of the area, and Meryn’s crystal form glowed even brighter in response to the growing darkness in the center of the area. Even the crystals were reacting to this threat, glowing brightly as well.

After about a minute, although it felt longer, the smoke disappeared, revealing the true form of the person: he was still handsome, but his skin was white with a blue tint, his eyes were red, his black hair was longish, and his clothing consisted of a blood red tunic covered by a black vest, black pants, black boots, and a black hooded cape.

“ _ **I am Zurais, God Of Chaos**_ ,” Zurais announced smugly, drawing out a sword that was pitch black, saved for the red veins that ran through the blade, “ _ **and your realm shall now be controlled by me!**_ ”

Refusing to let this happen, Meryn summoned up their power, both their body and the seven crystals glowing so bright that it wasn’t possible to watch, and they launched against the dark threat – only to have Zurais block the attack with his sword, the power being absorbed into the blade.

_`“That should not be possible,”`_ Meryn gasped, shocked that their power had been both blocked and absorbed so easily. _`“How have you done this?”`_

Zurais laughed evilly, his sword glowing with black energy. “ _ **It’s simple. For I am the offspring of the darkness that you, those like you, sealed away,**_ ” he explained, “ _ **and now I am here to avenge my creator and start the process of the darkness to the first and only universe!**_ ” And he raised his sword, slamming the blade into the ground.

The land shook as the dark power within the blade began draining into the ground as it was absorbed, and as it spread, Meryn cried out as they were overwhelmed and disappeared in a flash of white light, and all seven crystals shattered into pieces.

The darkness spread throughout the land, overwhelming everything that’d been good and powerful, and only a small handful of each creature and humanoid beings managed to survive the outbreak of darkness.

Zurais, God of Chaos, was now the ruler of the Land of Meryn, and nothing was going to be the same for a _very_ long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no! The land of Meryn is in danger! Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	4. CHAPTER THREE: DARK LAND AND FRUIT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Time for more history. Onward!

**CHAPTER THREE: DARK LAND AND FRUIT**

*****

For the longest time, no one know for sure how long, Zurais ruled over the land, corrupting many of the species that lived there, and those that managed to avoid the corruption, hid themselves as much as possible, forced to live underground in the caverns that had, somehow, managed to avoid the corrupting powers of the God of Chaos.

Although the caverns had avoided being corrupted, those loyal to Zurais did enter the caverns to torment the inhabitants, and take tribute from them every six months in exchange for certain red stones, which provided light and heat for the inhabitants, that were found at the Castle of Zurais. And there were a few times during tribute, when a few of the youths are chosen to live at the castle, and are never seen again.

Among those that lived in the caverns were the surviving members of the Elf-kind…those who hadn’t submitted to the ruling of Zurais and had been turned into dark elves by the God of Chaos.

Where there used to be hundreds of Elf-kind, there were only a few dozen of them left, and were living in the caverns on the orders of their leader, Chief Gormon Redweed, who claimed that he was the only living descendant of their late leader Zeno, who’d given his life to get as many as Elf-kind into the caverns as he could before being killed by Zurais himself.

Because there were very few among the Elf-kind that remembered the days when the land had been beautiful and were able to live on the surface, no one contested to his claim, and so he ruled the caverns in a very selfish manner, growing fat, both figuratively and literally, while the other species toiled to survive under his ruling.

There was also a caste system among the Elf-kind, where they were divided by their skills, and the highest caste were the elves who were allowed to go to the surface to scavenge for whatever they could find to help the species survive or to provide as tribute to the followers of the God of Chaos.

Of course this was dangerous work for the scavenging elves, for not all of them came back alive, but they were willing to take the risk to help ensure the survival of the cavern dwellers, and they were also able to let the others know about the state of the land itself.

For it was hoped among the species that the day would come when they would be able to live on the surface again, and they would be able to experience sunlight, moonlight, and starlight once again. They had all been raised on the stories of how the land used to be before Zurais, and while Gormon was skeptical that it would ever happen, the hope still existed.

And little did the cavern dwellers know, that day was coming.

*****

The land, which was once known as the Land of Meryn and was now known as the Land of Zurais, was desolated with limited plant life, much of which was dangerous and loyal to the God of Chaos, limited animal life, and it was constantly stormy so that it was always dark and no light sources could break through the dark storm clouds.

On the highest mountain resided the Castle of Zurais, which was made out of black stone that had glowing red veins running through them, and it was from there that he ruled over the land to ensure that it would remain corrupted forever.

*****

In the middle of the land, where the crystals and their pillars once stood, there was only a large crater, ground zero of the day that Zurais had taken over, and the last time that anyone had seen or heard from Meryn, who was believed to be long dead.

A lone solitary figure, clothed in a dark hooded cloak, entered the crater, and headed for the center of it. The figure moved silently, leaving behind footprints in the ashy ground that was quickly wiped out by the constant blowing wind, and when the figure reached the center of the crater, they stopped.

The figure stood there for several minutes, the wind blowing so that small dust devils swirled around them, before they finally knelt down, and with one pale hand, began carefully digging through the ash, clearly looking for something.

The figure dug through the ash for a full minute before stopping, and carefully scooped something out, clutching it in their hand, straightened up, and left the crater.

*****

In a grove some distance from the entrance to the caverns, a group of Elf-kind silently entered and went to work on gathering from the bushes, the red Champion Huckleberries, Green-headed almonds, and speckled ground-berries.

Others were digging in the ground, gathering up Canoe Polkweed, Fern-Leaf Pin Fluxroot, and Silver Thyme.

Four elves climbed the trees to gather the Bird’s Love Olives, Prairie Apples, and the Sunflower Peaches. They started climbing down once they had gathered all that they could – when a small figure went scurrying up one of the tallest trees.

“Geminara Silver-rock!” one of the elves yelled as she kept climbing. “Get down from there at once!”

Geminara ignored the yells and pleads as she climbed to as close to the top of the tree that she could, and she paused on a long branch, peering through the dark leaves at the view of the land. _‘It’s desolate,’_ she thought, _‘but it’s still amazing.’_

Pulling her gaze from the landscape far below, she turned her attention to a unique type of fruit that grew high in the tree, which resembled a pomegranate, but was red and crystalized like a garnet, and it was known as Deciduous Garget.

_‘This is in high demand,’_ Geminara thought, opening her satchel and she began picking the ripe fruit, shoving it inside. _‘And yet, very few are brave enough to climb to collect it, but I’m willing.’_ She knew that she would be lectured and scolded for doing this, but she was determined to prove that she could be one of the climbers of the group, and not just a collector of the ground items.

There was, however, another reason why she was collecting the unique fruit, and that was to give the fruit to the healers in exchange for medicine for her uncle, Kata Silver-rock.

Geminara had been living with her uncle since she was a youngling, for her parens had been killed when one of the corrupted creatures somehow got into the caverns, and she could barely remember them, only that she had one item that’d been saved that had once been her mother’s: it was a silver oval locket that she wore under her cloak to keep it safe and hidden.

Kata had given her the locket when she’d reached the age of ten autumns, for she had been born during on one of the autumn months, telling her that her mother had wanted her to have it, and to not open it until she felt that the time was right. She didn’t know what that meant, but she obeyed her uncle, and she hadn’t open the locket once, keeping her promise to her uncle.

_‘This locket is my mother’s,’_ Geminara thought, pausing to lightly touch it, _‘and when the time comes to open it, I will do it. For now, it’s going to remain safe with me.’_ She went back to collecting more of the fruit, knowing that she would need as much as she could carry in her satchel if she was going to get the medicine that her uncle desperately needed to fight off the pain from a severe injury that he’d suffered from getting caught in a cave-in months back, making it nearly impossible for him to move or work.

The healers had done what they could to help him, but between their limited medical knowledge, and Kata’s age of 496, there was only so much that they could do for him, and Geminara was worried that when the time came for tribute, the ones who came to collect would decide to do a reaping among the inhabitants of the caverns.

She’d seen the reaping in action twice, both times when she was a youngling, and from the safety of her uncle’s hovel. But it was brutal, and both times had left her with nightmares.

The reaping was a form of population control, where all younglings would be sent away to the hovels that they lived in with their families, along with any females who were expecting babies, and then the dark ones would go among the gathered, handing out stones to random beings.

The stones would then turn red, which meant that they had a limited amount of time to kill as many people as possible, or they would be slaughtered instead. And when this did happen, those with the stones tended to go after those who were extremely sick or critically injured, and slaughtered them in order to remain alive themselves.

Geminara didn’t want that to happen to her uncle, for he was the only family that she had left, and she was going to get the medicine for him so that he could continue to heal and get better.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a loud cawing sound – and she saw one of the large dark birds heading right for her!

Geminara quickly shoved the two fruits into her satchel, closed it, and she started climbing back down as fast as she could as the group screamed at her to get out of there while some of them fled the area. She moved fast, and this was a good thing because-

_CRACK!_

-the large dark bird tore off the branch that still had some of the Deciduous Garget fruit, which several fell off as the bird flew away, and when the fruit hit the ground, it shattered and the seeds spilled out, glowing as they were absorbed into the dirt.

Geminara waited until she was sure that the bird wouldn’t come back, and she made her way down the rest of the tree, nimbly landing on the ground.

The leader of the group, Galan Juniper, stalked forward and grabbed her by her ear, pulling her into the bushes, where the rest of the group were huddled, saved for two members who’d fled back to the caverns. “Do you _have_ a death wish, Geminara? You’re not ready to go up that high until you are twenty autumns old! You could’ve gotten us all killed!”

“I’m sorry, Galan,” Geminara apologized, “I really am, but my uncle’s medicine is running low, and the healers said that they would give me more in exchange for the Deciduous Garget.”

Galan sighed and let go of her ear. “I wish that you had told me, Gem,” he said, his anger fading a little, “you know you can trust me to do whatever I can for you and Kata. Still, that was a big risk you took back there, and you got lucky that the dark bird wasn’t one of Zurais’ spies that can disguise itself like a bird or whatever else it desires.”

Geminara nodded. “Yeah. We should get back.”

Galan nodded. “Yes, for if we’re late, then that idiot Folwin Wineberry will just use it as an excuse to dock our rations…again.”

Folwin Wineberry was the right-hand elf for Gormon, and he enjoyed making life difficult for the inhabitants of the caverns. He especially enjoyed docking the rations that the caste groups got in exchange for what they were able to gather and supply, claiming that it was one of his many duties to make sure that they all behaved and followed Gormon’s many rules.

Gathering up their supplies, they headed back toward the caverns.

Unknown to them, they had been seen, but this being was interested in only one of them, and for an unknown purpose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will admit that I have been drawing inspiration for this from The Hobbit and Lindsey Sterling's graphic novel series Artemis. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	5. CHAPTER FOUR: CONFRONTING A JERK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Let's see how those who call the caverns home live. Onward!

**CHAPTER FOUR: CONFRONTING A JERK**

*****

The group managed to reach the entrance to the caverns, where the two who’d fled were waiting just inside the entrance that sealed behind them, and they both apologized for running away when the attack occurred.

Galan was assuring them that they hadn’t done anything wrong, for it was natural to be scared when something like that happened, when there was a clattering noise, and the group turned to see a small figure scurrying away into the depths of the caverns, but they all knew who that person was, unfortunately.

“Fud,” Ratha White Blade, Galan’s right-hand climber, growled. “I bet four Pepper Hispid Corns that he’s on his way to tattle on us to Folwin.”

Fud was a Brownie and, out of the handful that lived in the caverns, he was the one who was most likely to cause troubles for others by tattling them to Folwin. Sometimes, one could stop him from getting to Folwin, but not always, and he just really enjoyed making life tougher for the inhabitants of the caverns, especially the ones not completely loyal to Gormon.

“Nothing that we can do about him now,” Galan said, a bit resigned that they would, indeed, be having to deal with Folwin soon. “Let’s get all of this dropped off at the Exchange.”

Knowing that he was right, the group headed into the depths.

*****

It didn’t take Galan’s group very long to reach the Exchange, which was busy with controlled chaotic activity as always.

The Exchange was a massive cavern that linked all of the caverns together, and it was where the inhabitants could exchange stuff for other stuff that was vital for survival: all over the place there were Elf-kind, Brownies, dwarves, faeries, Centaurs, and many other beings that called the caverns home. The air was heavy with the smells of herbs, cooking food, the noise of hammers on metal, and everyone shouting over each other in order to be heard.

Galan’s group made their way through the chaotic, and yet, controlled mess, Geminara kept her satchel closed and close to her to make sure nothing from it got swiped by greedy little fingers, and that meant the brownies as it was their nature to swipe something that held their interest.

“Hail, Palora,” said Galan as they reached a large circular booth, where those who did the gathering, could hand over what they had in exchange for rations and/or the means to trade in the Exchange for things like clothing and other stuff, “Keeper of the books.”

“Hail, Galan Juniper,” Palora responded, trotting over to the counter with a book and a quill while several elves set up baskets for the items to be placed in once they had been counted, “how well did you fare out there today?”

“We all made it back alive,” Galan answered with a slight smile. “And come bearing supplies for you to count.”

Palora nodded, dipped her quill tip into a pot of ink, and she had the book open and ready to go. “Very good, shall we?”

Galan nodded. “We shall.” And the group took their turns to place in the baskets what they had gathered: red Champion Huckleberries, Green-headed almonds, speckled ground-berries, Canoe Polkweed, Fern-Leaf Pin Fluxroot, Silver Thyme, Bird’s Love Olives, Prairie Apples, and Sunflower Peaches.

Geminara had just put the Pepper Hispid Corns into a basket and was opening her satchel to do the same with the Deciduous Garget – when her wrist was suddenly gripped tightly, and she herself face-to-face with Folwin of all elves.

Folwin Wineberry was an elf with longish black hair that was greasy, stormy grey eyes that were also red-rimmed from the amount of drinking that he did, and while most elves were lean and slender, he was shorter and was a bit overweight. His clothing, like most of the inhabitants, were made from whatever could be found, but his were more on the fancy side due to his potion with Gormon, and it was no secret that he was addicted to Jenas, a fermented wine made out of his namesake wineberry, milkweed, Brilliant Bermuda Black Cherry, and Hispid Chrysanthemum Lemon.

“Well, well, well,” Folwin sneered, yanking the satchel out of Geminara’s hands before she could protest, “and _what_ do we have here?” He opened the satchel, revealing that inside it was the Deciduous Garget fruits. “Deciduous Garget, eh? And just _why_ would a low-level climber and ground collector have _these_ in her bag for?”

“It’s none of your business, Folwin,” Geminara snapped, pulling her wrist free, noting that Fud was lurking nearby with a smug expression on his face. “Give me back my satchel.”

Folwin shook his head, holding it away from her. “I think not,” he stated, still sneering. “The only climbers allowed to collect Deciduous Garget are those who are twenty and up, and you’re only eighteen autumns. So that means this has been illegally obtained, and will not be counted toward your rations.”

“Give that back to her, Folwin,” Galan snapped. “The Deciduous Garget is in high demand for what it can do, and would you _really_ deprive the inhabitants of something like that.”

“Gormon’s rules are to be _obeyed_ , Galan,” Folwin snarled. “And that means no illegally obtained items are permitted to be counted toward ones’ rations. So, I’m taking these-”

“You will do no such thing, Folwin,” snapped a voice, and the group turned to see another group approaching. They were all Elf-kind, and they wore grey cloaks over white robes.

Folwin blanched and Geminara snatched her satchel back, holding it close. “Healer Aubron Pine, what brings you to the Exchange?” he asked, trying and failing to hide his nervousness while Fud had rabbited out of sight.

“I’m here for the Deciduous Garget that young Geminara promised us,” Aubron answered, smiling a little at the girl before fixing Folwin with a stern look. “Folwin, are you and Gormon so selfish that you will deprived the healers of the very thing that we need in order to make the medicines needed in order to keep everyone in the caverns alive and healthy?”

Folwin stammered for several seconds before he finally straightened. “Fine.” He then turned to Geminara. “You can keep the Deciduous Garget…but the rations for you and your uncle will be docked by five points,” he growled before storming off, most likely to give someone else a hard time over something minor.

Geminara’s shoulders slumped. “Five points?” she repeated, realizing that this was going to make it so that she and her uncle would have less to live on until the next time she went out with the group, and their rations had already been reduced because of her uncle being hurt and unable to work, despite her working extra shifts within different areas of the caverns.

“I’m not going to dock any points, Gem,” Palora assured her. “In fact, I’m going to add five points for each Deciduous Garget you have in that satchel. Pour them in.”

Smiling, Geminara did just that, pouring in a total of nearly a dozen Deciduous Garget, and many jaws dropped in amazement. “Here you go.”

Palora was impressed, wrote down the numbers, and while the elves took the baskets into the back for organizing and storing, she gave each of them their weekly rations, plus small gems that they could use to get additional stuff from the Exchange, making sure that Geminara did get a bigger ration then normal for her and her uncle.

Geminara also received from the healers a package containing the medicine that Kata needed and, after thanking them, hurried off to use the small gems before going home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will always be someone who will try to make life tough harder for others just to make themselves look good. Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	6. CHAPTER FIVE: TRIBUTE AND HOME

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> It's time for more about the history of Meryn. Onward!

**CHAPTER FIVE: TRIBUTE AND HOME**

*****

The Exchange was also where the collecting of the Tribute also took place, and while Geminara was busy exchanging the small gems for a couple of Pink Cucumbers, small pouches of Eastern Black Cherries, Eastern Oranges, Silky Rogue’s Raspberries, and some packets of dried Bull Lavender, Evergreen Scotch Garlic, and Horse Stag Winterberries, the horns went off.

“It’s Tribute time!”

“Close the booths right away!”

“Hurry!”

“Gather in the square! Gather in the square!”

_‘Oh no,’_ Geminara thought, hurrying through the crowd that was now hurrying around to get everything ready, _‘how could I forget that it’s Tribute day?!’_ She’d hoped to be back home before Tribute so that she could watch with her uncle, who was currently being looked after by their neighbor, Ayla Peach, but now that wasn’t going to be possible.

So, instead of trying to fight her way through the crowd, Geminara made sure that everything was secured in her satchel, and she went to the nearest pillar. She began climbing up a rope ladder attached to the side, moving up quickly, and it wasn’t long before she reached the balcony on the top that was used for viewing.

There were three other elves, plus two dwarves already up there, and they merely nodded to her before returning their attention to what was going on below.

It wasn’t long before all of the booths in the Exchanged were closed up, and most of the inhabitants assembled in the square, forming a circle around the center, where Gormon, Folwin, and a few other elves were waiting next to a large covered wagon that held the tribute.

Geminara glanced around at the openings that lead to the other caverns, plus the living quarters, and the few living quarters that had smaller openings overlooking the square, she could see the inhabitants peering through them. She saw both Kata and Ayla doing this, and she waved to them, even though she knew that they wouldn’t be able to see her, but she was happy to see them and that her uncle seemed to be doing better then he had this morning.

_‘I’m glad to see Uncle Kata,’_ she thought, returning her attention to the square as there was a rumbling sound, and the large stone door rolled open to reveal both the main entrance and the representatives from the Castle of Zurais: there were three of them, tall with pale skin, dark eyes surrounded by purple markings, long white hair that peeked out from under the black hoods of their black outfits that were lined with red, and they were dark elves.

_‘Is this what happens to those chosen to go to the castle?’_ Geminara wondered, almost certain that she recognized one of the dark elves as her friend Ruith Sycamore, who’d been taken during Tribute five seasons ago. _‘Do they get turned into dark elves by Zurais?’_

The representatives walked down the steps to the center, lowering their hoods, and everyone was silent, even the youths, younglings, and babies, for this was a tense event.

“Leader Gormon,” said one of the representatives in a silky voice that was soft, but it also carried with command, “it is once again time for tribute. Do you have it ready?”

“Of course, Master Gaeleath,” said Gormon, bowing and he nearly fell over doing so, due to his large belly. “Folwin, show them please.”

Folwin nodded and pulled the cover off of the wagon, displaying the baskets that held the tribute, and Gaeleath waved to one of the other dark elves forward to check and make sure that it was all accounted for.

There had been an incident seasons ago, when the tribute had fallen short due to the fact that a dwarf, named Kardrol Chaosrock, had stolen some of the contents for his own selfish needs, and when he was caught by the dark elves, his punishment…well, no one was entirely sure of what they did to him, only that he wasn’t in the caverns anymore.

“Is it all there?” Gaeleath asked once the dark elf was done counting, and got a confirming nod. “Excellent.” He then returned his attention to Gormon, who’d been watching nervously. “This tribute will be accepted, Leader Gormon.” He then pulled out a scroll and opened it. “This is from our God, Zurais, he is asking for three youths to come to the castle. Bring forth the youths for viewing.”

Geminara felt her heart jump into her throat as twelve youths were escorted forward, and it was a mixture of male and female. She knew that she would’ve been among them, but ever since she turned eighteen autumns, she was too old as the cut-off age was seventeen, and now the youths she’d known since they were babies were being given the chance to travel to the castle with the dark elves.

Gaeleath gestured to the third dark elf, who moved forward and examined the youths, walking among them, and, after about a minute, tapped the shoulders of two female youths and one male youth. They were escorted forward while the remaining youths returned to their families.

_‘Once they leave,’_ Geminara thought, _‘they will be never seen again.’_

Gaeleath once again looked at Gormon and spoke. “Once again you have done well, Leader Gormon. Zurais will bless you all.” He then waved his hand at the tribute, which got surrounded by black smoke, and when the smoke disappeared, it’d been shrunken down into a dark crystal box that he now held in his hand.

And with that, the representatives left with the tribute and the three youths.

Geminara sighed a little, glad that there hadn’t been a reaping, and climbed back down as the crowd parted ways, the parents of the chosen youths looking sad. She knew that it was hard on the parents when one of their own got chosen, and when her friend Ruith got chosen, his father had actually tried to stop it from happening – and he hadn’t been seen anywhere in the caverns since.

*****

“Hail, Ayla,” Geminara called out upon entering the hovel, “hail Kata, I’m home.”

“Hail, Geminara,” Ayla responded, giving the young woman a hug. “I’m glad that you made it back home.”

“As am I,” Geminara agreed, opening her satchel and removed the pouch of Eastern Oranges, “and this is for you, Ayla.’

Ayla smiled, accepting the pouch. “Bless you, Gem, bless you.” She gave her another hug before taking her leave to return to her own hovel.

Geminara sealed the door and went to her uncle, who was seated in a chair by the small opening that overlooked the Exchange and the square. “Uncle Kata, how are you feeling?” she asked, crouching down so that she could see him better.

“I am doing better, my dear, Gem,” Kata answered with a smile and patted her hand with his own wrinkled hand. “You were on the balcony during Tribute, I saw you up there.”

“Best place for the show,” Geminara replied, grinning. “I have our rations, your medicine, and some additional supplies. Plus…” She took out the contents of her bag, including a single Deciduous Garget that Palora insisted that she keep “…this.”

Kata’s expression brightened and he accepted the rare fruit. “Ahh, I haven’t seen one of these in many seasons,” he whispered with a smile. “Not since my climbing days. Now I know why you were so eager to head out this morning.”

Geminara duck her head as her ear tips went pink as she flushed. “Yeah…that’s why I was eager.”

Kata carefully set the fruit on the table and grasped his niece’s hands in his own. “This is for the medicine,” he said and chuckled at her surprise expression. “I may be old and recovering from this injury, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t know what you have been doing in order to support us both…which I should be doing.”

“Uncle Kata,” said Geminara seriously, “you have been caring for me since I was a youngling, and since I’m practically an adult, it’s my turn to care for you.” She then gently pulled her hands freed, straightened, and kissed her uncle’s forehead. “Anyway, I’ll clean up, get stuff organized, and get our lunch ready.”

“Of course.”

Kata watched as his niece disappeared into her room, and he looked back at the Deciduous Garget, noting how it glittered a little in the candlelight. _‘Yes, it has been a long time since I’ve seen one of you,’_ he thought, _‘longer then I told Geminara. I cannot tell her the truth, for she isn’t old enough, and yet, I cannot help but feel like time is running out.’_

He had a secret, and he knew that he would have to tell his niece the truth…soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's a lot to process huh? Bye for now! R&R everyone!


	7. CHAPTER SIX: DREAMS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, world and welcome back to Escape the Night!
> 
> Time for more history. Onward!

**CHAPTER SIX: DREAMS**

*****

Once the door was shut and sealed, Geminara sighed and removed her coat and wrap, making a face at the mirror that was showing just how dirty and tired she was: her red hair that went to nape of her neck was soaked with sweat and tangled, her blue eyes were _definitely_ showing the strain and exhaustion she’d been experiencing, and there was a black smudge on her cheek that partly covered the crescent moon scar that was just under her left eye.

She briefly touched the scar, which she’d received the day that her parents were killed, and it was the only injury she’d sustained, according to her uncle.

_‘In some ways, I did get lucky,’_ Geminara thought, returning her attention to removing her fingerless gloves, and went about cleaning herself up while making a mental note to take all of the dirty clothes to the washing cave in the morning to get it all cleaned while finding out what was going on with the other inhabitants, and whether Gormon had made up any new rules to make life harder for everyone…again.

*****

Once she was cleaned and had on clean clothing, Geminara went back into the main room, where she organized and put away the supplies and all but two of the rations in their proper place, and then she used the two ration packets to make their lunch, adding in some chopped Black-Weed Mountain Leeks, that she traded two packets of dried Common Devil’s Coneflower for, dried Soldier’s Swamp Corn kernels, and Valley Climbing Olives.

She also added some Osage Mustard, Mountain Paprika, and a pinch of Fire Ginger in an effort to mask the taste of the bland protein ration squares that the inhabitants had been living on for the past two hundred seasons, Gormon claimed that the protein rations were filled with everything that they needed to stay healthy and survive on.

No one really believed him, so that was why the Exchange had the various vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices that were known to grow topside, and were requested to be gathered by the elite scavengers like Galan’s group.

Once the food was fully cooked, Geminara filled two plates and put them on the table, and then she accessed the cold room to get drinks, choosing a Crimson Peach juice for herself, and a Red Pumpkin juice for her uncle.

Filling two clay cups with the chosen drinks, she exited the cold room, which sealed itself, and sat down while placing each cup by their plates.

*****

After praising Zurais for the food, which neither of them like doing, they set about eating and drinking while Kata inquired about what Geminara had seen while topside, and shared with her about how he’d seen Folwin trying to bully the twin dwarves, Hadus Longblade and his sister Groozerika Longblade, and got sent running when they both tried to attack him with their pickaxes.

“And that’s why you _never_ make a dwarf angry!” Geminara and Kata said at the same time, laughing at the well-worn dwarf joke.

“Uncle, I did have a run-in with Folwin at the Exchange,” she said, the humor disappearing from her face. “He tried to take the Deciduous Garget fruit from me, and actually docked five points from our rations after the healers showed up and scolded him about the fruit that’s needed for the medicine.”

Kata sighed, setting down his spoon. “I see, and I’m right in guessing that Palora choose to not dock the five points,” he guessed, and she nodded. “That was kind of Palora, but I fear that the day will come when she will be punished by Folwin on the orders of Gormon for going behind his back when it comes to the rations.”

“I know,” Geminara agreed, “but I think Palora is willing to take that risk in order to make sure that no one starves because of Gormon’s so-called rules.”

Kata chuckled. “Yes, some things are worth the risk,” he agreed, patting her hand, and it was clear that he was getting tired and the pain was coming back. “Let’s finish eating and I can-”

“-take your medicine and have a nap,” she finished, smirking at his annoyed expression. “Uncle, I know you very well by now. And I promise that when I finish cleaning the dishes, I will have a nap as well.”

Kata nodded with a tired smile and, after they finished every scrap of food on their plates, she helped him into his bed after he had his medicine, and she then went back to clean up.

*****

Geminara put the last plate back in the cupboard, and while she _was_ tempted to leave to go to the upper regions of the caverns in order to see the sky to check for any changes to the weather, she _was_ tired from working so many different shifts in order to make sure that she and Kata didn’t starve.

Instead, she went into her bedroom, crawled into bed, and went to sleep.

*****

_She runs through the fields of flowers, the sun shines down on her as the wind whips through her hair, and the birds sing in the trees that surrounds the fields. She is happy and free, and she stops to dance among the flowers instead._

_She dances and then she lays down among the flowers to look up at the blue sky with puffy white clouds high above-_

_BOOM!_

_The sky suddenly is black, and she sits up as the wind grows stronger, and she feels cold. She gets up and she sees a dark tall figure that moves fast toward her, and she runs in the other direction to escape._

_She runs – and she falls into sudden darkness._

_She falls faster and faster._

_She keeps falling- and hits the ground hard._

“ _Ugh,” she groans and sits up with a hand on her head, and finds herself in some kind of cave. “Where am I?” She gets up and looks around, finding it strange that she could see in the dark cave, and she walks forward, for she feels drawn that way._

_She walks, she does not know how long, she walks until she sees a faint light in the distance, and as she gets closer, the light grows brighter until she enters a cavern with a beam of sunlight that comes through a hole in the ceiling._

_The sunbeam falls on a short stone pillar in the center of the cavern, and there is something glittering on top. She feels drawn and walks toward it, reaching for what was glittering-_

*****

Geminara woke when a loud horn went off, and she realized that her hand was outstretched, just like in her dream. This wasn’t the first time that she’d had that dream, but it was the first time she’d actually entered the cavern, and she had to wonder what was on the pillar.

But she couldn’t wonder right now since that was the horn to let the inhabitants know that those who had evening shifts needed to get ready and head to their designated places in the caverns, and that if they were late, then points would be docked from their rations next week.

Geminara quickly got dressed, kissed her sleeping uncle’s forehead, set out what Ayla would need to fix dinner for Kata, and she headed out, wrapping her wrap around her head, for she would be going into the mines to help the miners get the baskets up to the upper levels, and this was one of the few perks of being a climber.

_‘I do wonder what is on that pillar,’_ she thought, briefly thinking back on the dream, _‘maybe the next time I dream, I’ll figure it out.’_

She wasn’t sure how long her shift would be, but if she did get to return home for dinner, then she could have her dream that much sooner.

To Be Continued…

*****

_I have so many, so many regrets._

_So many lies, so many broken ties._

_I wish for my old life._

_Wish I could fix my strike._

_Cause no one truly escapes the night._

_Oh, won't you help me escape the night._

_Oh baby help me escape the night._

_Escape the night._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a strange dream. Bye for now! R&R everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so this first part is mostly about multi-verse, but the next chapter will be the start of the history.
> 
> Bye for now! R&R everyone!


End file.
